McLeod Lecture Series: The Congressional Record »»»

Louisiana Public Broadcasting and McNeese State University present the fifth annual McLeod Lecture Series featuring former United States Congressmen Jimmy Hayes, Chris John, Claude "Buddy" Leach, and Henson Moore on stage to talk about their experiences in representing Louisiana.

Louisiana's Congressmen have had a unique place on Capitol Hill, especially as it relates to the oil and gas industry, and topics relating to oil and gas, health care, wetlands and more are sure to make for a lively discussion. This year's panel moderator is Beth Courtney, president and CEO of Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

This event is part of the McNeese State University Banners Arts and Humanities Series. The annual lecture series honors the late Bill McLeod.

The Congressional Record: Four Louisianaians Share Their Perspectives is part of the McLeod Lecture Series at McNeese State University.

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Hayes, a native of Lafayette, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1987. He represented the 7th District of Louisiana for 10 years. While in Congress, he was member of the Ways and Means Committee, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Science and Technology Committee. He founded the “Blue Dog Caucus” in 1987. Prior to his election, Hayes served as both state Commissioner of Financial Institutions and Commissioner of Securities where he co-authored the Louisiana Banking Code and the Louisiana Securities Code. Upon leaving Congress, he became vice president of government affairs for the American Counsel of Life Insurers. He is currently CEO and managing member of Washington Matters, LLC, a consulting and government relations firm representing such clients as GE, New Jersey Transit, City of Lake Charles, Louisiana Department of Transportation, Calcasieu Parish and the Port of Lake Charles. He is also CEO of Evangeline Oil Realty Company and a managing partner of Partnership 202 in Lafayette.

John, a native of Crowley, represented the 7th Congressional District from 1997 to 2005 in the U.S. House of Representatives. While in Congress, he served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. A conservative Democrat, he is also a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, serving from 1987 to 1995, where his committee assignments included the House Natural Resources Committee.
Currently, John is president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. Prior to joining Mid-Continent, John was managing director of Ogilvy Government Relations in Washington, D.C., representing the firm’s clients in matters dealing primarily with energy legislation in Congress.

Congressman Claude “Buddy” Leach Leach, a longtime businessman and philanthropist in Southwest Louisiana, was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1968 where he served for 16 years. During his tenure he served as chairman of Ways and Means Committee and chairman of the Louisiana Legislative Council. He served in the 96th U.S. Congress as the last Democrat to represent the 4th Congressional District of Louisiana. Leach was appointed to serve on the House Armed Services Committee, Small Businesses Committee and the Committee on Veterans Affairs.
Leach maintains a law office in Leesville and he is president and CEO of Sweet Lake Land & Oil Company, LLC, and North American Land Company, LLC, Lake Charles, and is chairman of the board of directors of Merchants and Farmers Bank.

In addition to serving on numerous professional and nonprofit boards locally, he also serves as National Democratic Committeeman from Louisiana and is a member the U.S. Rice Federation International Trade Committee and the National Cattleman’s Association.

Moore, of Baton Rouge, served 12 years as a member of Congress representing the 6th Congressional District from 1975-1987. He served on the Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Budget and Agriculture committees and was appointed by the Minority Leader to serve on the Republican Policy Committee.
He was out of office two years when he was appointed by Pres. Ronald Regan as a U.S. Representative to the Panama Canal Consultative Committee. He also served as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, Assistant to the President, Deputy Chief of Staff and Intergovernmental Affairs under Pres. George H.W. Bush from 1989-1993. Moore retired as president and CEO of American Forest and Paper Association in 2006 after 11 years of heading this national trade association for the lumber and paper industry.

Beth Courtney

This year’s panel moderator is Beth Courtney, president and CEO of Louisiana Public Broadcasting. (more)